CAMERA APPARATUS
A camera apparatus includes a base; an outer case assembled on the base; an inner case assembled in the outer case; a supporting member assembled in the inner case; a camera and a board assembled in the supporting member; a cooling fan for cooling the board, and so forth. The cooling fan is provided in the inner case to blow cooling air over the board. An air inlet is located on an air intake side of the cooling fan, whereas an air outlet is located in an extension of an air discharge side of the cooling fan along the board.
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The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2005-216895 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jul. 27, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to camera apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
A camera apparatus (PTZ, Pan/Tilt/Zoom camera) for remotely panning, tilting and zooming a camera has been suggested (refer to, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-244781). Such a camera apparatus is used by being attached to a ceiling of a building or merely put on a table or the like.
Such a camera apparatus includes a base attached to the ceiling of the building, an outer case assembled on the base so as to turn (pan) around a first imaginary axis which passes through the base, an inner case assembled in the outer case so as to turn (tilt) around a second imaginary axis which extends in a plane intersecting with the first imaginary axis, a camera and a board for controlling operation of the camera respectively assembled in the inner case.
The camera includes a lens barrel in which an imaging optical system is accommodated an imaging element for imaging a subject guided by the imaging optical system is provided in the lens barrel.
The lens barrel has a focusing mechanism for performing focusing operation and a zooming mechanism for performing zooming operation. The focusing operation is performed by moving a movable lens, which is provided in a manner movable in an optical axis direction, in the optical axis direction of the imaging optical system from among a plurality of lenses of the imaging optical system.
A driver circuit for driving a drive source (motor) of the focusing mechanism and zooming mechanism, a signal processing circuit for generating a video signal to be supplied to a display or the like by driving the imaging element and processing an imaging signal output from the imaging element, and so forth are mounted on the board. These circuits are composed of various electric components.
Since these electric components generate heat upon operation, these electric components are cooled with a heat sink.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONHowever, in recent years, even through the electric components are cooled with the heat sink, the heat generated by the electric components is likely to be transmitted to the lens barrel, since a distance between the lens barrel and the board is reduced due to downsizing of the camera apparatus.
Incidentally, as the movable lens moves in the lens barrel, a part of the lens barrel slides on a part of the movable lens. Accordingly, a lubricant such as a grease is applied to these sliding parts.
Owing to this, if the lubricant is heated with the heat generated by the electric components, the lubricant may be deteriorated, thereby being disadvantageous to secure durability of the camera.
In view of above-described problem, it is desirable to provide a camera apparatus capable of improving durability of a camera by effectively cooling electric components and being advantageous to be downsized.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a camera apparatus including: a base; an outer case being assembled on the base so as to turn around a first imaginary axis which passes through the base and having an outer opening extended in the outer case; an inner case being assembled in the outer case so as to turn around a second imaginary line which extends in a plane intersecting with the first imaginary axis, and having an inner opening to be moved along the outer opening when the inner case turns around the second imaginary axis; a supporting member assembled in the inner case; a camera provided at the supporting member, the camera being capable of imaging a subject through the outer opening and the inner opening, and performing focusing operation and zooming operation; and a board provided at the supporting member, the board having a circuit for controlling the focusing operation and the zooming operation and a circuit for processing an image signal generated by imaging the subject, in which a cooling fan is provided in the inner case for blowing cooling air over the board, an air inlet is provided in the inner case for the cooling air, an air outlet is provided in the inner case for the cooling air which has been blown over the board, an air lead-in port is provided in the outer case for leading the cooling air to the air inlet, and an air lead-out port is provided in the outer case for leading the cooling air out of the outer case.
With such an embodiment, the heat generated by the electric components of the board can be effectively cooled with the cooling air to reduce the heat transmitted to the camera in the inner case. Therefore, the lubricant such as the grease applied to the sliding parts of the camera can be reliably prevented from being deteriorated, thus addressing the problem related to the heat generated by the electric components upon the downsizing of the camera apparatus, and being advantageous to downsize the camera apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(First Embodiment)
An embodiment of a camera apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the camera apparatus 100 includes a base 10, an outer case 20 assembled on the base 10, an inner case 30 assembled in the outer case 20, a supporting member 40 assembled in the inner case 30, a camera 50 and boards 60 assembled in the supporting member 40, a cooling fan 70 for cooling the boards 60, and the like.
The base 10 is attached to a ceiling or a wall inside a room, or to a pillar inside/outside the room, and has a mounting surface 12 to which the outer case 20 is attached.
As shown in
The first imaginary axis L1 is perpendicular to the mounting surface 12. The outer case 20 is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 12. In the present embodiment, the first imaginary axis L1 is a vertical axis.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Although not shown, the outer case 20 is dividable into front and rear parts, so that the inner case 30 is assembled therein.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The inner case 30 is disposed such that the front part thereof is exposed from the outer opening 22. An inner opening 32 is provided at the front part of the inner case 30.
As shown in
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the supporting member 40 is attached to the inside of the inner case 30 with a screw.
The supporting member 40 is composed of synthetic resin and integrally molded with a die. The supporting member 40 is provided to extend forward and backward in the inner case 30.
The supporting member 40 includes a bottom plate 42, a standing plate 44 standing on the rear end of the bottom plate 42, lateral plates 46 standing on the left and right ends of the bottom plate 42, and the like.
As shown in
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the camera 50 is attached to the bottom plate 42 so as to be capable of imaging a subject through the outer opening 22 and the inner opening 32.
The camera 50 includes an imaging optical system for guiding a subject image, and an imaging element for imaging the subject image guided by the imaging optical system. The imaging optical system has a focusing mechanism and a zooming mechanism.
In the drawings, reference numeral 52 denotes an objective lens located in the uppermost part of the imaging optical system.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the two boards 60 are provided on the bottom plate 42 to be parallel to the lateral plates 46.
A circuit for controlling a focusing operation performed by the focusing mechanism and a zooming operation performed by the zooming mechanism, a circuit for processing an image signal output from the imaging element, and the like are mounted on the boards 60.
These circuits include electric components such as an integrated circuit element (IC: Integrated Circuit or LSI: Large-Scale Integrated circuit), a current control element (transistor) and the like. The electric components generate heat upon operation as current is supplied thereto.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and
In the present embodiment, the cooling fan 70 is disposed on a lower face of the bottom plate 42 of the supporting member 40. Although not shown, an opening for attaching the cooling fan 70 is provided in the bottom plate 42.
More specifically, as shown in
As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the fan case 72 is attached to the mounting plate 80 with screws 7202. Vibration absorbing rubbers 84 are fitted to three mounting holes located on the outside of the mounting plate 80. Small diameter portions 4004 at tip ends of bosses 4002 which are integrally provided with and project from the supporting member 40 are inserted to center holes of the vibration absorbing rubbers 84. Washers 86 each having a size greater than an outer diameter of the vibration absorbing rubber 84 are arranged at tip ends of the small diameter portions 4004, and the washers 86 are attached to the small diameter portions 4004 with screws 88. Accordingly, the cooling fan 70 is disposed on the supporting member 40. That is, the cooling fan 70 is disposed with the vibration absorbing rubbers 84 interposed between the cooling fan 70 and the supporting member 40.
In addition, the air inlet 36 is located on an intake side of the cooling fan 70. As shown in
Next, a cooling operation by the cooling fan 70 will be described below.
Firstly, as shown in
In this state, when the cooling fan 70 is driven, ambient air is taken from the outer opening 22 to the air inlet 36 through the gap S4 as well as from the air circulation port 24 to the air inlet 36 through the gap S2, and blown over the boards 60 as the cooling air by the cooling fan 70. The cooling air blown over the boards 60 is discharged to the outside of the outer opening 22 from the air outlet 34.
Therefore, in such a case, the outer opening 22 serves as an air lead-in port for leading the cooling air to the air inlet 36 and an air lead-out port for leading the cooling air discharged from the air outlet 34 to the outside of the outer case 20. Besides, the air circulation port 24 serves as the air lead-in port for leading the cooling air to the air inlet 36.
Next, while the inner case 30 is positioned such that the optical axis of the camera 50 is set in a direction intermediate of the horizontal direction and an upward vertical direction (in a direction turned upward by 90 degrees relative to the horizontal direction), the air inlet 36 of the inner case 30 is exposed to the disk 21 through the gap S4, and the air outlet 34 is exposed to a rear upper part of the inner face of the outer case 20 through the gap S1.
In this state, when the cooling fan 70 is driven, the ambient air is taken from the outer opening 22 to the air inlet 36 through the gap S4 and blown over the boards 60 as the cooling air by the cooling fan 70. The cooling air blown over the boards 60 is discharged upward of the outer opening 22 from the air outlet 34 through the gap S1.
Therefore, in such a case, the outer opening 22 serves as the air lead-in port for leading the cooling air to the air inlet 36 and the air lead-out port for leading the cooling air discharged from the air outlet 34 to the outside of the outer case 20.
Next, while the inner case 30 is positioned such that the optical axis of the camera 50 is set in the upward vertical direction (in the direction turned upward by 90 degrees relative to the horizontal direction), the air inlet 36 of the inner case 30 is exposed to the front through the outer opening 22, and the air outlet 34 is exposed to the air circulation port 24 through the gap S2.
In this state, when the cooling fan 70 is driven, the ambient air is taken from the outer opening 22 to the air inlet 36 and blown over the boards 60 as the cooling air by the cooling fan 70. The cooling air blown over the boards 60 is discharged rearward through the gap S2 and the air circulation port 24 from the air outlet 34.
Therefore, in such a case, the outer opening 22 serves as the air lead-in port for leading the cooling air to the air inlet 36. Besides, the air circulation port 24 serves as the air lead-out port for leading the cooling air discharged from the air outlet 34 to the outside of the outer case 20.
Next, while the inner case 30 is positioned such that the optical axis of the camera 50 is turned downward by 30 degrees relative to the horizontal direction, the air inlet 36 of the inner case 30 is exposed to the air circulation port 24 through the gap S2, and the air outlet 34 is exposed to the outside through the outer opening 22.
In this state, when the cooling fan 70 is driven, the ambient air is taken from the air circulation port 24 to the air inlet 36 through the gap S2 and blown over the boards 60 as the cooling air by the cooling fan 70. The cooling air blown over the boards 60 is discharged obliquely upward of the outer opening 22 from the air outlet 34.
Therefore, in such a case, the air circulation port 24 serves as the air lead-in port for leading the cooling air to the air inlet 36. Besides, the outer opening 22 serves as the air lead-out port for leading the cooling air discharged from the air outlet 34 to the outside of the outer case 20.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, regardless of the position of the inner case 30 which turns around the second imaginary axis L2, the ambient air outside the outer case 20 is taken by the cooling fan 70 through the air lead-in port and the air inlet 36 and blown over the boards 60. The cooling air blown over the boards 60 is discharged out of the outer case 20 through the air outlet 34 and the air lead-out port.
Accordingly, the heat generated by the electric components of the boards 60 can be effectively cooled with the cooling air. The heat transmitted to the camera 50 can be reduced in the inner case 30. Accordingly, the lubricant such as the grease applied to the sliding parts of the camera 50 can be securely prevented from being deteriorated, thereby being significantly advantageous to improve the durability of the camera 50.
Therefore, the heat-related problems generated by the electric components due to the downsizing of the camera apparatus 100 can be addressed, which is advantageous to downsize the camera apparatus 100.
In addition, since the cooling fan 70 is provided with the vibration absorbing rubbers 84 interposed in the present embodiment, the influence on the camera 50 on account of the vibration of the cooling fan 70 can be immediately reduced, thereby being advantageous to obtain a sharp image by the Pan/Tilt/Zoom camera.
Incidentally, the above-described lubricant possibly evaporate due to the heat. If the evaporated lubricant is attached to the optical components such as a lens of the imaging optical system of the camera 50 and causes a haze, the image quality of an image provided by the imaging element is possibly affected by the haze.
However, according to the present embodiment, the heat generated by the electric components of the boards 60 can be effectively cooled with the cooling air, so that the lubricant is reliably prevented from evaporating, thereby being extremely advantageous to ensure the image quality of the image.
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A camera apparatus, comprising:
- a base;
- an outer case being assembled on the base so as to turn around a first imaginary axis which passes through the base and having an outer opening extended in the outer case;
- an inner case being assembled in the outer case so as to turn around a second imaginary line which extends in a plane intersecting with the first imaginary axis, and having an inner opening to be moved along the outer opening when the inner case turns around the second imaginary axis;
- a supporting member assembled in the inner case;
- a camera provided at the supporting member, the camera being capable of imaging a subject through the outer opening and the inner opening, and performing focusing operation and zooming operation; and
- a board provided at the supporting member, the board having a circuit for controlling the focusing operation and the zooming operation and a circuit for processing an image signal generated by imaging the subject, wherein
- a cooling fan is provided in the inner case for blowing cooling air over the board,
- an air inlet is provided in the inner case for the cooling air,
- an air outlet is provided in the inner case for the cooling air which has been blown over the board,
- an air lead-in port is provided in the outer case for leading the cooling air to the air inlet, and
- an air lead-out port is provided in the outer case for leading the cooling air out of the outer case.
2. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second imaginary axis extends in a plane perpendicular to the first imaginary axis, the outer opening extends along a direction parallel to the first imaginary axis, and the outer opening serves as the air lead-in port and the air lead-out port.
3. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second imaginary axis extends in a plane perpendicular to the first imaginary axis, the outer opening extends along a direction parallel to the first imaginary axis, an air circulation port capable of circulating air is provided in the outer case, the air lead-in port is constituted by one of the outer opening and the air circulation port, and the air lead-out port is constituted by the other of the outer opening and the air circulation port.
4. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting surface to which the outer case is attached, and the first imaginary axis is perpendicular to the mounting surface.
5. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting surface to which the outer case is attached, the first imaginary axis is perpendicular to the mounting surface, and the outer case is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface.
6. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting surface to which the outer case is attached, the first imaginary axis is perpendicular to the mounting surface, the outer case is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, and
- the outer opening extends from a position where the outer case is exposed to the mounting surface to an end in the extending direction of the outer case.
7. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting surface to which the outer case is attached, the first imaginary axis is perpendicular to the mounting surface, the outer case is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, the outer opening extends from a position where the outer case is exposed to the mounting surface to an end in the extending direction of the outer case, and the outer opening serves as the air lead-in port and the air lead-out port.
8. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base has a mounting surface to which the outer case is attached, the first imaginary axis is perpendicular to the mounting surface, the outer case is provided to extend in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, the outer opening extends from a position where the outer case is exposed to the mounting surface to an end in the extending direction of the outer case, an air circulation port capable of circulating air is provided in the outer case, the air lead-in port is constituted by one of the outer opening and the air circulation port, and the air lead-out port is constituted by the other of the outer opening and the air circulation port.
9. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan is disposed in the inner case.
10. The camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fan is attached to the supporting member with a vibration absorbing rubber interposed and is disposed in the inner case.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 6, 2006
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2007
Patent Grant number: 7540670
Applicant: Sony Corporation (Shinagawa-ku)
Inventor: Hiroaki Hida (Kanagawa)
Application Number: 11/422,482
International Classification: H04N 5/225 (20060101);